Cardenal Speaks about Poverty and Justice

"I have to leave, but I want to leave you with something from me: an oath before God. From today until the day I die, I dedicate my life to the liberation of the poor in the struggle for justice, and you are my inspiration." Rev. Fernando Cardenal, S.J., declared this to his friends and neighbors in Medellin, Colombia, over 40 years ago after completing his final course for becoming a member of the Society of Jesus.

As Cardenal explained, with the assistance of a translator, to the filled hall in Devlin 008 on the evening of Oct. 12, his time spent living in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Medellin informed his entire life's work as a Jesuit and political leader in his native Nicaragua.

"When I first learned the news that I would be taking the course in Medellin, I thought, ‘This is my time. This is my time to really learn and fill the vacuum in my mind. I will truly learn about poverty by living with the poor,'" he said.

The Jesuit recalled many enlightening moments during his time in Medellin that captured how hard life was for those living in abject poverty. "My information about the poor came from my poor neighbors," he said. "That was the issue for me, and it was really hard for me to see my friends suffer."

Among his neighbors was a family with seven children, whom Cardenal referred to as his "little bodyguards" because they were always following him around. One time, when he returned to his Jesuit residence, Cardenal walked in to find the children eating the Jesuits' garbage. He described the emotional impact this moment had on him. Cardenal said, "That was a big hit for me. I loved them. You can't imagine what that did for me."

He continued, "Many times, the only thing these children had to eat was a roll made from corn and hot water with brown sugar added to it. My neighborhood was like a big lake, and we were all under the water of suffering. Often, I didn't want to leave the house. The people were always suffering and without hope. When I walked down the street, I kept repeating to myself, ‘Unbearable. Unbearable. Unbearable.'"

Cardenal realized, "I cannot accept that people live this way. As a human being and as a Christian, I cannot accept it. It has to change."

Upon returning to Nicaragua, the Jesuit continued to work for justice. His first assignment was as the vice-provost for students at the Nicaraguan Jesuit University, where his friend was the university's president. "I had great admiration for him. He was charismatic and extraordinary," Cardenal said.

However, on his third day at the job, a student movement erupted on campus because the president, Cardenal's friend, refused multiple requests from student leaders for a meeting. "The students requested three things," he said. "First, they demanded a dialogue with the president. Second, they wanted a reform of the university's regulations, which were put in place when the school was still very small. And third, they wanted to participate in the arenas and direction of the University."

Much to his surprise, the students asked Cardenal to speak at their big rally in the school's gymnasium. "At first, I didn't want to speak, but I couldn't say no," he said. "I wondered, ‘What do I say?' I worried about being a traitor to my friendship with the president. Eventually, I realized, no matter what, no matter what my superiors say, if I don't say now what I was thinking, I would be a traitor to the oath I made in Medellin. I told them I heard their request, and I believed it to be just. I felt really emotional. I opened my heart to the students, and I said, ‘I support your position as long as you act without violence and act democratically.'"